LSU prevails 24-19 over Aggies

COLLEGE STATION – Texas A&M has traded games in messing up with turnovers or penalties. This time it was turnovers, and they cost the Aggies dearly in a 24-19 loss to LSU before more than 87,000 fans in Kyle Field.

Two weeks after having six turnovers in a 30-27 victory at Ole Miss, and a week after committing 19 penalties in a 59-57 win over Louisiana Tech, the Aggies turned over the ball five times in blowing an early lead against the Tigers.

“Turnovers were the story,” A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said.

LSU and A&M played a scoreless third quarter and the Tigers led 14-12 early in the fourth. A&M held a 12-0 lead late in the second quarter before two turnovers by the Aggies’ Johnny Manziel and Ben Malena led to two LSU touchdowns just before the half.

Receiver Mike Evans accounted for the Aggies’ third turnover in the second half when the ball bounced off his pads and was intercepted, but that time LSU wasn’t able to capitalize on the miscue. The Tigers played at Kyle Field for the first time since 1995, when the two wrapped up a long nonconference rivalry.

“This one hurts a lot,” A&M center Patrick Lewis said. “This was a win we’ve been needing for a real long time.”

Manziel threw another interception in the fourth quarter for his third of the game, and LSU running back Jeremy Hill broke open the game with a 47-yard touchdown run with 3:12 left in the game.

A&M’s Trey Williams returned a kick 76 yards early in the quarter, but the Aggies weren’t able to capitalize by getting the ball in the end zone, and Taylor Bertolet missed a 33-yard field goal attempt at the end of the drive.

Bertolet also missed a 52-yard attempt and an extra point in the contest in adding to his midseason woes. The Aggies next play at Auburn starting 6 p.m. in one week.